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Luke Horton has put together a playlist to accompany his debut novel, The Fogging. Listen to it on Spotify and read on for his liner notes.

The Fogging Playlist
There are two songs referenced in the book as far as I can recall. Bob Marley & The Wailers’ ‘Redemption Song’, and Coldplay’s ‘Paradise’. Neither of these made it on to this playlist. I have tried to make it so the songs follow the action of the story, which is hard because you also want a playlist to work as a playlist. Anyway, all of these songs are not only related to the action of the book in some way, they are songs I listened to while writing The Fogging, and all happen to be great songs. If pretty intense and often very sad. Enjoy!

Mary Margaret O’Hara — ‘Body’s in Trouble’
This song is pretty devastating. Maybe too heavy to start a playlist with, but the book opens with a panic attack on a plane, so. Amazing phrasing throughout, great lyrics repeated over and over: Who do you talk to? / Who, who do you talk to? / Oh, who do you talk to? / When a body's in trouble / Oh, the body's in trouble / Who who who do you talk to?

Free Time — ‘Nothin but Nice’
Great complicated relationship song from one of my favourite songwriters, Dion Nania (Panel of Judges, Free Time, Scott and Charlene’s Wedding). ‘I got a know what’s up, but there’s too much in the way… ah, don’t do me that way.’

Eric’s Trip — ‘Stove’
Most of Eric’s Trip songs seem to have both male and female vocals. I love these intimate songs about small things in relationships. No idea what the issue was with the stove, but it sounds intense.

The Cleaners from Venus — ‘Helpless’
A perfect two-and-a-half-minute love/pop song.

Bob Dylan — ‘Boots of Spanish Leather’
An incredibly elegiac song. One of the prettiest melodies. Two lovers parting, perhaps for good? In The Fogging there is a thread that follows Tom and Clara’s much earlier travels overseas, and there is something about the sad, complicated parting captured in this song that reflects what happens on this doomed trip.

Pixies — ‘Into the White’
The B-side version of this song is fine, but the live version from the Netherlands, 1991, included on the second disc of Death to the Pixies (not on Spotify), is better. This is the fogging scene.

Elliot Smith — ‘Everything Means Nothing to Me’
Tom, feeling nothing when he doesn’t feel anxious. A nihilist anthem.

Cate le Bon — ‘What’s Not Mine’
Another devastating song. Anxiety in the pulsing rhythm and bell like sounds in the background. Something about the way she sings ‘I don't even know what's not mine, what’s not mine, what’s not mine…’ is very affecting.

Beaches — ‘When You’re Gone’
‘When will you listen?’ Tom, it may be too late!

Built to Spill — ‘Kicked It in the Sun’
Some kind of acceptance at the end? Maybe. Some funny lines in this epic, emotional rollercoaster of a song: ‘Despite his expectations he turned out mediocre / His master plan was so so / We're special in other ways / Ways our mothers appreciate. Ha. The outro, which is a little more hopeful maybe, is the best bit. Great payoff at the end of a long song.