Monday Mixtape: Harry Tafoya

"I have a lot of opinionated gay men in my life (many of whom identify as heterosexual) and they love to tell me what to listen to."

Monday Mixtape is another path towards music discovery, featuring people whose taste I admire answering a series of questions and prompts with songs (which might change from time to time).

Harry Tafoya is an art and music critic who has recently entered my important gay guy canon™️ on the strength of his impeccable taste, fantastic writing, and also some well-timed (ie while I was luteal) flattering words pointed in my direction (it’s really that easy folks). Harry writes for Pitchfork, The Guardian, Paper, and more. He’s one of the few music writers who regularly puts me onto stuff I love (another of course being former Monday Mixtape subject Shaad D’Souza) and now that we regularly dm, he’s teaching me about the world. For example, the day before Madonna name- checked Raffaella Carr๠in her interview with Mel Ottenberg for the Summer 2026 Interview Magazine, Harry was sending me videos of that queen and educating me about her game. Maybe I’ll finally learn something (anything) about “art” next.

A few things we agree on are: the band ear, the importance of Erotica, and that almost all men look amazing with dark-rooted bleached hair.

Here is Harry’s Monday Mixtape:

Harry Tafoya
Pisces, which I’m told explains *Everything*
Scenic, Rustic Bushwick

How do you find/discover music?

Oh God... I sort of just let it waft over me... I have a lot of opinionated gay men in my life (many of whom identify as heterosexual) and they love to tell me what to listen to.

What was the first song you put on when you woke up this morning?

“Ef“ by Chanel Beads.

What song have you listened to more than once this past week?:

I’ve been playing John Errol’s forthcoming album obsessively, it is one of the most painfully beautiful records this year but ALSO “lao shi 老师“ by Helena Gao, who I’ve admired ever since she made Zara Larsson listenable to me / “soulless cycle” by L’Rain fucking RIPS, the most brilliant woman in New York / “LOVE + WAR” by B0YG1RL & NOVAGANG goes just as soft and hard as the title suggests.

What is a recent song you think everyone should know about?

I’m biased because I love him but I think Clarke Sondermann’s latest album as Pleasure Systems is so gorgeous, especially “Singing In My Sleep“ (Ed note: this song is so beautiful def cannot handle whilst luteal)

A song off your work-out playlist:

The Squire of Gothos - Forest Gateaux Mix - the profoundly stupid build and release of bass line makes it the perfect genre for cardio.

Do you listen to music when you go to view art? If so, what is a good art viewing song?

I do not, lamely I try to see it in the most neutral conditions possible. If anything, taking in too much art makes your brain explode, which requires a mental palette cleanser. After I haul my ass to galleries, I usually like to listen to the most stripped down folk or the most woozy tranq’d out ambient music possible. Lately Dagmar Zuniga hits that sweet spot.

What song can you do at karaoke without looking at the tv screens?

I’m a karaoke performance artist - I need lighting, a fog machine, and multiple costume changes but I do not need a screen. My go-to is to perform in Spanish (namely this), but lately all I want to do is sing “Isolation“ by Joy Division.

Song you associate with being 13 years old:

“Hong Kong Garden (Marie Antoinette Strings Version)“ by Siouxsie Sioux, the first song I ever bought for my iPod (Ed note: had to put the regular one on the playlist sorry just imagine the strings version)

What song do you listen to when you want a lobotomy?

Either “Bad Song” by CFCF featuring Cecile Believe (the dumbest song this year) or “Train“ by Goldfrapp. There are many delicious flavors of pop stupidity, but few have channeled glam rock’s distinct lobotomy tang so perfectly.

What song do you use to indulge your wallowing?

The funny answer is “Child Psychology” by Black Box Recorder, the actual answer is “Marble Lions” by Saint Etienne.

What song do you use to renew your spirit?”

“Justified & Ancient” by The KLF :) (Ed note: hell yes brother)

What is your favorite cover song?

Right now it’s “Breathe Kullawada Caporal E DJ Edit” by Chuquimamani-Condori, which recasts Faith Hill as an ecstatic seeress on the cusp of revelation.

What song would you like to hear just before you die?

“Corporeal“/”You and Me In Time“/”Where Youth and Laughter Go“ by Broadcast, It’s almost a joke how obsessed I am with them but I’m endlessly fascinated by Trish Keenan and I can’t think of another band that so consistently captures the mystery, sadness, and weird beauty of whatever might be on the other side.

All of the songs on Harry’s Monday Mixtape live HERE

1. you literally MUST stop everything you are doing and watch this in full